Interesting Approach @ LAX On 3/26

Arcrftlvr · Mon Mar 26, 2012 10:13 pm

I apologize in advance for not having more specifics and I hope that this situation was such an anomoly that someone has information. Or, this is a common occurance and I've just never noticed before...

So, this morning (3/26) as I was getting ready for work around 0545-0600, I heard a plane flying very low over my apartment. I went to the window and saw what appeared to be a commercial aircraft heading westbound towards the ocean. I assume it was on its downwind for the 7s at LAX. The weird thing is, the aircraft was extremely low (tough to estimate the altitude since it was dark and I have a lot of obstructions in front of my window) and I live in Hermosa Beach. This is the first time I've ever seen/heard a plane that low approach LAX from this area. And this was the only aircraft that made this approach all morning.

Am I being hyper-sensitive or was this aircraft given some sort of priority routing to land immediately and this was the most direct route? Or was there something else going on? Just curious.

Thanks!

LAXintl · Mon Mar 26, 2012 10:26 pm

You can replay LAX traffic from their website.

http://www331.webtrak-lochard.com/webtrak/lax4

Only activity I can see is a NCA cargo 747 at 602am which passed over Hermosa on departure from enroute to Japan at 3800ft looping back towards the ocean following eastward departure.

Arcrftlvr · Mon Mar 26, 2012 10:41 pm

Maybe this is my ignorance, but isn't 3800' somewhat low if they've departed LAX to the East, looped around and starting heading West. It seems they'd be much higher than that at that point.

swiftski · Tue Mar 27, 2012 2:56 am

Quoting Arcrftlvr (Reply 2):

Maybe this is my ignorance, but isn't 3800' somewhat low if they've departed LAX to the East, looped around and starting heading West. It seems they'd be much higher than that at that point.

Looks like they'd been airborne for about 2 mins, a fully loaded 747, especially if given a high speed climb, wouldn't be unusual to see climb rate reduce to 2000fpm.

Qantas744er · Tue Mar 27, 2012 5:24 am

NCA's SOP is CLB thrust at 1500' and accel. at 3000'

Arcrftlvr · Tue Mar 27, 2012 5:08 pm

Quoting Qantas744ER (Reply 4):
NCA's SOP is CLB thrust at 1500' and accel. at 3000'

That makes perfect sense. As the aircraft was over my house the engines were noticably loud (which is what caught my attention) as it climbed out over the ocean.

Thanks for clearing this up!

Rbgso · Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:40 pm

Quoting Arcrftlvr (Reply 2):
Maybe this is my ignorance, but isn't 3800' somewhat low if they've departed LAX to the East, looped around and starting heading West. It seems they'd be much higher than that at that point.

I believe there is a VFR flyway over the center of LAX at 4,500 ft that allows N/S VFR GA traffic to pass through the LAX Bravo airspace. Aircraft going around for example, are instructed to stay below this altitude, IIRC. Don't know if this influenced this particular situation.

Yellowstone · Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:57 pm

Quoting rbgso (Reply 6):
I believe there is a VFR flyway over the center of LAX at 4,500 ft that allows N/S VFR GA traffic to pass through the LAX Bravo airspace.

Yep, it's called the Los Angeles Special Flight Rules Area. You're allowed to operate on the 132 radial of the SMO VOR at 3500' southeastbound or 4500' northwestbound without obtaining authorization from LAX traffic control, as long as it's VFR and you stay below 140 knots.

Here's a link to the relevant part of the LAX Terminal Area Chart:

http://skyvector.com/?ll=33.57832126...19.63860587329825&chart=114&zoom=3

swiftski · Tue Mar 27, 2012 11:46 pm

Quoting Arcrftlvr (Reply 5):

Climb thrust would be a reduction in "noise" compared to T/O thrust.

Arcrftlvr · Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:09 pm

Quoting swiftski (Reply 8):
Climb thrust would be a reduction in "noise" compared to T/O thrust.

Agreed. I'm just saying it was noticably louder than any other commercial aircraft that has flown over my house...and the anomaly is that is was much lower than aircraft typically fly, which obviously accounted for the noise.

Interesting Approach @ LAX On 3/26

Interesting Approach @ LAX On 3/26

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